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Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 3

Priscilla Paynter to John Winthrop1
Paynter, Priscilla Wintrhop, John

1637-04-20

To my much honoured brother John Winthrope Esquire at his howse in Boston New Ingland deliver
My much honored and dere brother,

I doe much reioyce to heare of your helth and prosterity and doe hartyly thanke you for your kind remembrance of vs at last after so many sad thoughts supposing my selfe to be forgotten of my derest frinds whom I trust that nether Prosperity nor aduersty shall euer make me vnmindfull of though the later may and doth offen hinder the mafastation of derest affections as it hath done with me four seuerall times when our nebours cam from us: as first the death of my dere sonne next the sikenes of my louing husband and thirdly the death of my beloued and honest harted daughter mary, and last of all the death of my honred father all these haue bin no small afflickcions neither is the smart of them yet worne away but my soule hath them still in remembrance and is humbled for them but yet god is good and I cannot but make knowen to my dere brother his goodnes and maruelous louing kindnes towards me in a strang citye for through his marcy I inioy a uery godly louing and tender harted husband 396and much loue from my nue frinds here in exon but aboue all we yet inioy the ordance of god the meanes of grace in a most powerfull and plentyfull maner but it is otherwise in sum parts of our land and whildes the flame is so vilent we cannot but aprehend the danger we stand in and how soone we may be with you or wish our selfes with you god only knowes: the experence I haue had of your and my dere sister former loue makes me not to dout of our welcom to you when the lord shall call us thervnto and these with the remembranc of my dereest respepts to your selfe my worthy and truly beloued sister and all your intreating your Prayers for vs and our land which if you doe not labour to strengthen vs withall you will be gilty of the weakneing of your natife country forgit vs not therfore in your dayly prayers, nor me your much obleged

Pris: Paynter Exon Aprill the 20, 1637
1.

W. 4. 27; 5 Collections , I. 72–73.